Ross Barkley

[CynicalBlue]

Blimey the over reactions on here. We got a point away to Stoke who have been revitalised of late and even if they weren't it's always a tough place to visit.

Point gained and move on.

 

[TommyDavo]

I checked the stats. Better passing accuracy than Davies, who most agree had a good game.

So settle a tad.

Many bad passes, but then something comes off and it's all forgotten.. won't be that way in a couple of years

 

[II McColl II]

He looked lost when we switched to 4 at the back again, after recent performances it really seems 3 at the back suits how he plays in midfield then with the switch i couldn't tell if he was supposed to be playing out wide or more centrally and it just didn't connect up properly.

For me he still needs to take control of games more, he has the ability on the ball but i don't get that feeling that he demands to be involved he seems more happy to wait for the game to come to him.

 

[Abraders]

He looked lost when we switched to 4 at the back again, after recent performances it really seems 3 at the back suits how he plays in midfield then with the switch i couldn't tell if he was supposed to be playing out wide or more centrally and it just didn't connect up properly.

For me he still needs to take control of games more, he has the ability on the ball but i don't get that feeling that he demands to be involved he seems more happy to wait for the game to come to him.

This, and improve the final passing a great deal and he'd be ace

 

[scratchnsurf]

I checked the stats. Better passing accuracy than Davies, who most agree had a good game.

So settle a tad.

That might be the case mate but he frequently gives the ball away when he has time and space to pick a pass. There has been lots of calls for him to play deeper and see if he has an influence on the game. In the second half he was often deeper than McCarthy and Davies but it didn't seem to bring the best out of him. Looked far better in the first half when he was able (thanks to having some decent movement from Davies, Mirallas and Schniederlin) to find space in between the lines. On the whole, he did ok but he did my head in for about twenty minutes towards the end of the second half when he just kept giving the ball away.

 

[Abraders]

The McCarthy sub really disjointed us and ruined the flow we had in midfield.

However, it did sure up the defence. Schneids dropped deeper and did well, we were quite safe second half imo

 

[paulbefc]

Not great tonight.

 

[Connor]

However, it did sure up the defence. Schneids dropped deeper and did well, we were quite safe second half imo

Would have preferred him to bring either Funes or Holgate off and replace him with either Lookman or Valencia, we were ok in midfield before that change.

 

[Abraders]

Don't disagree. Rom just hid behind Martins-Indi. I'd of took Rom off and Valencia on. Not like either were gonna win things in the air, but at Least Valencia is better with the ball to feet.

Playing them both together is the key.. sorta doing what we would've liked mirallas to be doing in linking up tight play up top and forcing their defenders to think about two attackers, not just lukaku

 

[Tony Hibbert's 3rd leg]

He'll make better passes when the attackers make better runs. Honestly Lukaku and Mirallas were pathetic tonight. Their movement was atrocious. They hardly came short. They didn't spread wide. Aimlessly ran down the middle. Lukaku stopped half of his runs. I'm still not convinced Mirallas actually played.

Barkley would only get slated for not trying anything. Sure he misplaced passes but I didn't take any more notice of them than I did for the rest of the team

 

[Abraders]

Would have preferred him to bring either Funes or Holgate off and replace him with either Lookman or Valencia, we were ok in midfield before that change.

Imo holgate for jamo,
Kev for lookman
Barkley for valencia, forcing a 433 with width provided by lookman/valencia as the other ties themselves to lukaku.

 

[Simon baker]

Maybe if barkley played through lukaku even once, or any other player for that matter..

Every week its 'the final pass wasn't wuite right'.... it's boring as

Don't totally disagree but lukaku is a reactive player he often waits until a pass is made before he makes a move. He may be a natural finisher but his movement outside the box is nowhere near as good it doesn't come natural to him

 

[Abraders]

Don't totally disagree but lukaku is a reactive player he often waits until a pass is made before he makes a move. He may be a natural finisher but his movement outside the box is nowhere near as good it doesn't come natural to him

I fully understand your point here as it's completely valid, but brings me to what ive also pointed out - we should've brought valencia on to play tighter to lukaku and provide space for him when he is isolated. Or lookman playing tighter.

Mirallas is supposed to do this but he doesn't/wasn't again today.

 

[DanB90]

Should have sent him out on loan yesterday.

 

[Thomasc]

His improvement in his fitness is very noticeable to me now. Splendid work RK and his staff